FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT AIRBUS - PAGE 5

The world's largest aircraft maker, Airbus, expects that the Indian aviation market will require more than 1,000 aircraft worth $138 billion in the next 20 years. In conversation with ET, Airbus CEO Tom Enders said the European aviation major will expand the India engineering centre and subcontract more work to Indian firms such as Mahindra, Infosys and Wipro . Excerpts from the interview What role are India and China going to play in the global aviation industry?

BANGALORE: Marking its first anniversary, the country's only low-cost carrier, Air Deccan, finally soared on trunk routes with wide bodied Airbus aircraft today from Bangalore. After several administrative hiccups, which saw the launch delayed by a few days, the A320 took to the skies at noon. Last year on the same day, the airline had rolled out its 48 seater ATR services on feeder routes. The low cost phenomena unleashed by Air Deccan has already changed the rules of the aviation business, not only for competition and the travel trade but also travellers who have more cost-effective options now. Lower fares will be the key drivers of accelerated growth in air travel since it will then reach out to a larger audience, Air Deccan's managing director Captain G.R Gopinath told a news conference on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: It may soon be one big party in the domestic skies. After Air Deccan, UB Group's budget carrier, Kingfisher Airlines, appears to be getting set to blaze a trail in the market. Sources said its promoter Vijay Mallya is talking of doubling the earlier proposed fleet strength to around 30 Airbus 320 planes in the next few years. The airline's initial gameplan was to induct upto eight 180-seater aircraft in 2005 including four on lease. In the second phase, it planned to bring on board another eight planes, blocked as options, in its agreement with Airbus.

NEW DELHI: The aviation boom in India could soon move to the next level of aircraft production . With China managing to attract both Boeing and Airbus to set up manufacturing facilities there, India is now pulling all stops to make a beginning with the European major. According to highly placed sources, the government is of the view that offset (benefit from a deal) arising out of purchases from European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) can be used for putting up assembly units for medium size civil transport aircraft.

By Chandra R. Srikanth Software major Infosys is in the race to acquire CIMPA, the engineering services unit of Airbus, people familiar with the development said, making it potentially the first acquisition after Vishal Sikka took charge as CEO over three months back. The deal will help Infosys deepen its presence in the engineering services space, a segment that currently contributes to less than 5% of its revenues. Sources said Infosys could also get a revenue assurance from Airbus as part of the deal.

NEW DELHI: National carrier Air India will hire more than 100 copilots for its Airbus fleet to cut flight delays, according to a senior executive of the airline. The carrier's poor "on-time performance" has been a concern for its management and the government for some time, and shortage of pilots and cabin crew is being cited as a key reason. Last month, the airline issued a notification to hire 800 cabin crew. "Delays of our flights in domestic sector continue to be a problem and we will be hiring co-pilots for our Airbus fleet," the Air India executive , who did not wish to be named, said.

PARIS: Airbus received 435 net aircraft orders from January to May, the European manufacturer said on Friday, eclipsing US rival Boeing, which according to its website had recorded 418 orders in the period. Airbus reported 35 order cancellations in the first five months, Boeing reporting one. For both manufacturers, medium- and long-haul aircraft attracted most of the orders. Airbus said it had received three orders for the A380 superjumbo, the world's largest civilian airliner.

MUMBAI: Vistara, the Tata Sons-Singapore Airlines JV, today said it has inked a pact with Airbus for engineering support services which include components supply and airframe maintenance. The 51:49 joint venture is awaiting flying licence. The long-term flight hour services tailored support package contract with Airbus starts this year with the entry into service of 20 A320 leased fleet. The contract is to provide integrated services, ranging from components supply, repair to full airframe maintenance and engineering service, Vistara said in a release here.

PARIS: The schedule of deliveries of the Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft to its customers will have to be revised for a fifth time, a weekly reported on Sunday. Citing an Airbus source close to the A380 programme, the newspaper said that only 10 A380 planes will be delivered this year, instead of the 12 announced previously. In 2009, the discrepancy could be even greater, with only 15 aircraft will be delivered instead of the planned 21, the report said. However, a spokesman for Airbus denied the report, saying: "We are sticking to the goals we drew up in May. " In May, Airbus sank its delivery plans for this year from 13 A380s to 12, and from 25 to 21 in 2009.